Page 2 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 8-28-15

Desert Wings Commentary August 28, 2015

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by Chief Master Sgt. Wendi L. McLean and had a history of being a quitter. 'XHWRLQFOHPHQWZHDWKHURXU¿WQHVVWHVWZDVRQWKHODVW
Fairchild AFB, Wash. ,SDVVHGRXWP\¿UVWGD\RI%07:KLOH,ZDVUHFRYHU-
day of BMT, which meant no second chances. We formed up
I once read that newly created cells in our bodies do one of LQJWKHUHVWRIP\ÀLJKWJRWLVVXHGXQLIRUPV)RUWKUHHGD\V, DQGVWDUWHGUXQQLQJ)LUVWODS²¿QHVHFRQGODS²¿QHWKLUG
two things: they either begin to decay or they become more PDUFKHGDWWKHEDFNRIP\ÀLJKWDVD³5DLQERZ´,UHPHPEHU
vital. ORRNLQJDWHYHU\RQHHOVHWKDW¿UVWGD\WKRVHRWKHUJLUOVZHUH lap—ok. On the fourth lap I started to struggle, but I was not
FRQ¿GHQWDQGVWURQJ0H"6WLOOLQP\³FLYYLHV´7KHWUXWKZDV WKHRQO\RQHKDYLQJDGLI¿FXOWWLPH:HORFNHGDUPV²QRRQH
These cells choose their path based on what we demand of ZDVJRLQJWRIDOORXWZHZRXOG¿QLVKWRJHWKHUHYHQLIZHKDG
them. If we are sedentary, our brains signal our cells to decay; painfully obvious—I didn’t belong. My dad was right. WRGUDJSHRSOHDFURVVWKH¿QLVKOLQH
but if we exercise, our cells get the signal that we need them to
be strong and healthy. Likewise, when we refuse to challenge In 1984 we ran PT in formation, starting with two laps and 2QWKH¿IWKODS,ZDVG\LQJDQGUXQQLQJMXVWRQHPRUHODS
ourselves, it’s like we are telling something inside of us to de-
cay; but if we do the things that challenge us, we too become gradually working our way up to six. I was a terrible runner, seemed impossible. On the sixth lap I felt like my lungs would
more vital and, sometimes, we even change our lives. DQGE\WKH¿IWKODS,VWDUWHGIDOOLQJRXWRIIRUPDWLRQ,ZDVVWLOO H[SORGH,FRXOGVHHWKH¿QLVKOLQHEXWLIWKHRWKHUJLUOVKDG
QRWEHHQKROGLQJP\DUPV,GRQ¶WWKLQN,FRXOGKDYH¿QLVKHG
I often think about an experience that challenged me and able to make my run time, but falling out of formation made :HFURVVHGWKH¿QLVKOLQHWRJHWKHUDQG,FULHGIRUMR\$VZH
forever changed my life: Air Force Basic Military Training. To
XQGHUVWDQGZK\%07FKDOOHQJHGPH\RX¿UVWKDYHWRXQGHU- one a magnet for unwanted attention. On the sixth lap, I could stood sweaty and stinky in our dayroom, our training instruc-
stand the person I was before I joined the military.
no longer make my time. While everyone else went to dinner, tor pressed a basic training ribbon into each of our hands. It
In 1984, I was a college dropout waiting tables at a local res-
taurant. It was one of the lowest points in my life, not because I headed back out to the track for remedial running every eve- was the proudest moment of my life. I was an Airman.
I was a waitress, but because I had little hope of a different
future. That’s a tough reality when you’re 19. Looking for a ning. I was miserable and I wanted to go home. A mile and a half may not seem like a big deal, but to me, it
way out, I joined the military. My father said I wouldn’t last 2XU¿IWKZHHNRIWUDLQLQJZDVDWXUQLQJSRLQWIRUPH,KDG VHHPHGLPSRVVLEOH,WZDVP\FKDOOHQJHDQGIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH
two weeks. I couldn’t fault my dad for not believing in me, LQP\OLIH,VWXFNZLWKVRPHWKLQJGLI¿FXOWDQG¿QLVKHGLWEXW
because I didn’t even believe in myself. I was physically weak been too caught up in my own miserable existence to notice
I didn’t do it alone. It’s through teamwork we can accomplish
something—many of the girls who I thought were so strong that
¿UVWGD\ZHUHJRQH7KH\KDGJLYHQXSEXW,KDGQ¶W,ZDVQ¶W just about anything. I didn’t just run a mile and a half that day,
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I changed my life and I did it with my new Air Force family.
was stronger and more resilient, but I still couldn’t run. In the
I learned that I am strong and we are stronger when we band
end it wouldn’t matter that I had lasted more than two weeks,
together to never give up, never to quit.
because if I couldn’t pass my PT test I would be discharged.

Never underestimate your impact

by Chief Master Sgt. Zachary Capogna My experiences have demonstrated to me people that would love nothing more than a intelligence, surveillance, and reconnais-
Incirlik AB, Turkey sance asset within 500 miles and a special
that time after time we do not. chance to degrade our airpower, attack our forces unit is pinned down and requires im-
Every day I visit our great Airmen and 6RZKDW¶VWKHELJGHDO",GRMXVWUHSDQHO mediate support and real-time battle field
every day I come across more than one that nation and our way of life. information. Our ID cards repel millions of
underestimates their impact to the mission. DLUFUDIWULJKW"$QG,UHDOO\GRMXVWLVVXH,' cyber-attacks launched against our networks
Where does that repaneled aircraft com- E\SURYLGLQJD¿UVWOLQHRIGHIHQVHIRURXU
There’s the one-stripe maintainer, “just cards. And hey, I’ve been pulling guard duty SOHWHGRQWLPHDQGPLVVLRQFDSDEOH¿WLQWR mission critical information technology sys-
repaneling an aircraft,” for the next day’s WKH SLFWXUH"$QG KRZ GR YDOLG ,' FDUGV tems because they are produced valid, up to
ÀLJKWRUWKH\RXQJSHUVRQDOLVW³MXVWLVVXLQJ for two years. This really is all I do. Are you WUXVWHGDVD¿UVWOLQHRIF\EHUDQGSK\VLFDO date and therefore trusted. And our defend-
DQRWKHULGHQWL¿FDWLRQFDUG´RUWKHGHIHQGHU VHFXULW\FRQWULEXWH":KDWLPSDFWFRXOGWKDW ers; trained, motivated and with steadfast
“just guarding the gate.” The list could go on going to trap me in a 30-minute mentoring
DQGRQ+RSHIXOO\ZHDOOUHDOL]HWKHVLJQL¿- young defender pulling guard duty at 2 a.m. See IMPACT, Page 4
cance of each task in the preceding example. session to try and convince me my simple UHDOO\PDNHWRWKHEDVHGHIHQVH"
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Fill in a few gaps on the preceding sce-
Each day, every one of us has the poten-
narios and the impact each of our Airmen
tial to contribute to airpower, the defense of
make becomes clear. The aircraft is the only
our great nation and an unparalleled way of

life. Each day, there are a whole lot of other

Commander’s

Action Line

email: speak2cc@edwards.af.mil

The Commander’s Action Line gives all Airmen, re-
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RIFRPPDQGDQGWDNHXSWKHPDWWHUZLWKWKHRI¿FHRI
SULPDU\UHVSRQVLELOLW\VXSHUYLVRUV¿UVWVHUJHDQWVRU
commanders.

Action Line queries may be submitted by sending an
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